Denigma2's Posts

Islam is beautiful. So many comments without a single reference to a divine statement. Islam has answers to ALL life questions.

Anas said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Four (kinds of people) will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection: the infant, the insane, the one who died during the Fatrah (the period between two prophets) and the very old man. All of them will speak in their own defence, then the Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, will say to a neck of Hell, ‘Come forth!’ and He will say to them, ‘I used to send Messengers to My slaves from amongst themselves. Now I am the Messenger of Myself to you. Enter this (i.e., the Fire).’ Those who are decreed to be among the doomed will say, ‘O Lord, how could we enter it when we are trying to escape it?’ And those who are decreed to be among the blessed will rush to enter it. And Allaah will say: ‘You would have been more disobedient towards My Messengers.’ So those will enter Paradise and those will enter Hell.” Narrated by Abu Ya’laa, 4224. There are corroborating reports which were mentioned by Ibn Katheer in al-Tafseer, 3/29-31.

Shallow arguments. If these were all Christians could put up to make Jesus at par with the Almighty, then I now know why people in the West are departing in droves.

That God was killed by something he createdThat so because Jesus was born of a virgin, he is Son of God. What of Adam? ( you sidestepped that in (3)). What is too spectacular for God to do?

Didn't Jesus say "I can of my ownself do nothing"? Is that God?

What's the fuss about names? Names are know to change with the times and people. Ordinary Elizabeth can become Liz, Lizzy, Beth, Betty, Eli, Betha, including all its latinized, anglicised and Gregorian versions.

Forget it. Your knowledge of Islam isn't different from that of the propagandists on cable channels. Seek true knowledge and be free from worshipping God's creations

There is only one true God, Allah, worthy of all our worship. It isn't befitting for Him to have a son.

Is it befitting for you to be attributed to having a tail even when we know they are desirable for cows and some other lower animals?

I would advise everyone thinking of home-schooling their kids to get this e-book by Ismail Kamdar. He shares home-schooling duties with his wife even though he is a public figure. You can get the book here for less than $6 if you have a paypal account

Assalam alaykum beloved MuslimsThe Muslim world is presently battling with a myriad of problems. From disunity, terrorism, dearth of upright leaders, deliberate blackmail, economic hardship to Western insubordination and difficulties in practising pristine Islam, these problems could seem overwhelming.

Why is it so difficult to be a true Muslim in the world today? Were have we gone wrong? And how do we trace back our steps to attain the successes ans supremacies of generations past?

Allah said in the Gloroius Qur'an that the condition of a people would not be changed until they themselves make efforts to change.

The lack of proper education at the childhood level is arguably a major problem which when nibbed in the bud will provide succour in many other areas. Going through the stories of the Companions and the Pious Predecessors, we learnt that the education of children was structured towards religious uprightness, independence, upholding the right family values, taking social/communal responsibilities and financial empowerment. Their education was not streamlined towards just getting a job after school or making a leaving. It was wholesome. It included not just reading books or listening to lectures. It also included having to live with your teachers and scholars to learn their upright habits and their religious devotions. This is the best form of education. Theory, practice, reviews, feedbacks, counselling and experiences all merged into one.

Where can we find this form of education today? Home Schooling

The Western world has succeeded in selling to us what they feel education should be like. And unfortunately we have bought it hook, line and sinker.Just as it sounds old fashioned, uncivilised and strange to be a stay-at-home mum according to 'civilised' Muslims, the idea of full or partial home-schooling feels the same. It just doesn't feel right. Abi?

If we try to cast away the westernised stereotypes with which home-schooling is branded, then we can begin to realise its benefits. And they are lots of benefits.

1. It allows for stronger bonding and understanding between parents and children2. It allows for proper education where comprehension and not competition is the goal. I recently came across a quote which said ' True education comes when competition is removed'.3. It enables children to express themselves better, making it easier to for them to self-esteem, confidence, self-discovery and identification of their talents

I would recommend the book, Homeschooling 101- What to expect in your first year by Abu Muawiyah Ismail Kamdar to anyone interested in knowing the benefits, challenges, expectations, requirements and practical methods for the proper Islamic home-schooling of their kids

Allah (God) asked the disbelievers a four-pronged question in the Quran: Were you created from nothing? Or did you create yourselves? Were you created by something that was created or created by something that was not created?

For any brand to be worthy of patronage, it has to constantly uphold both integrity of purpose and integrity of actions. Unfortunately Integrated Corporate Services Limited (ICSL), the organisers of the recently concluded ‘Biggest Job Fair in Africa’ failed woefully on both ends. Integrity of purpose simply means to embark on a project solely for the reasons for which it was proclaimed to be undertaken. In the corporate world, it connotes the business case to be in alignment with advertised services. If a pharmaceutical company manufactures a drug and tells the world, this drug can cure malaria. If the drug doesn’t cure malaria after taking the prescribed dosage under the stipulated conditions then the company lacks integrity of purpose. Worse still, if the company knows fully well that the drug is a mere placebo and still goes forth to advertise it as a cure for malaria, it lacks not only integrity of purpose but also value for human dignity and such an establishment should be avoided like a plague.As for integrity of action, it is promising to take some actions but failing to do so. If a food company proclaims that certain vitamins and minerals have been added to a beverage but upon subjecting the beverage to laboratory tests, it was discovered that it was deficient of those nutrients, then the company has failed the integrity of action test. If a politician promised to provide free education, healthcare and meals after 2 years upon the assumption of public office and fails to provide such within the time frame, then he lacks integrity of action.ICS brazenly discarded both integrity of purpose and integrity of action in a manner synonymous with the impunity culture prevalent in the Nigerian public domain. This article would explain further below.It is sadly surprising and hugely disheartening that over a week after the charade of a job fair held at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, with thousands of graduates left debased and disappointed, no one has registered any concrete complaint or disapproval in the public space. Apart from the light grumblings on nairaland.com, no discontent whatsoever has been visible. This speaks volumes of the ‘suffering and smiling’ syndrome ingrained in the psyche of the average Nigerian graduate. One begins to ponder if it is a case of battered self-esteem due to prolonged subjection to humiliation by lecturers, recruitment agencies and prospective employers or a case of being hopeful that a job offer may miraculously emerge from the huge pile of resumes dumped on the floor of the National Theatre or a fear of victimisation from the powers that be. Silence in the face of evil is the fuel for impunity and corruption, thus this article is aimed at giving an objective feedback to all the news stations, social media outlets and members of the public who were caught in the publicity stunts displayed by ICS Limited. What was the Talent Bank meant to be? It was touted to turn out as ‘Africa’s Biggest Job Fair’. The theme widely publicised was ’50 Brands meet 2000 Talents at 1 venue’. The profile on the twitter handle of ICS Limited read ‘Be part of the 2,000 job seekers to get employment at the ICS Talent Bank Job Fair’. On the ICS job portal, the main aim of the job fair was to address the scourge of unemployment faced in Nigeria today by preparing and presenting Top Talents to top brands for immediate placement.With all these carrots being dangled, it wouldn’t be out of place for an average unemployed graduate to conclude that his/ her job search sojourn would most likely come to an end once he or she scales through the hurdles cum selection process required to get invited for the job fair as a top talent.The selection process for the ICS Talent Bank comprised of 6 major stages which included online registration, candidates’ credentials verification at ICS offices, aptitude tests, first stage interview, second stage interview, employment documentations which included seeking out for 4 guarantors and witnesses, Employability/ Talent Bank Talk (this was meant to give candidates the required information of what to expect at the talent bank but deliberately CV writing and career talks were presented instead) and online career profiling assessment.At the interview stages, it was widely circulated that major oil multinationals like Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil, major manufacturing companies and several other indigenous and international brands would be at the job fair.It would have been logical to conclude that similar processes undergone by the candidates would have been applied to the recruiting companies/ brands as well to ascertain their credibility, staff requirements and availability for the job fair.Alas! The situation at the job fair was shockingly unexpected. Instead of meeting 50 great brands that were eager to recruit top talents, we were faced with 9 companies (4 banks, 2 FMCG, a pension fund administrator, a telecoms company and an ICT training institute) who came solely to force their products down the throats of candidates. I doubt if any of those companies were represented by their recruitment or human resources personnel. Their representatives at the job fair were marketing officers and sales agents. The same gimmick was used by almost all of them to ensure that their products were patronised i.e., if you are really passionate about working for us, then you have to love and use our products also.As for the banks, one was ‘secretly’ advised to open an account on the spot for you to be considered. At the fair, I met a lady that was hastily filling out a savings account opening form for one of those banks. When I asked her on why she was doing so, she had to say she ‘truly loved the bank and had been looking forward to banking with them’. Seriously? A classic case of suffering and smiling. The telecoms company really perfected the art. On scrutinising your resume and discovering that your phone number is not that of their network, you are then recommended to get and register a SIM card at the fair and then purchase a N1000 voucher for you to have the chance to work for them. The ICT training institute mandated the unemployed graduates to register for one of its courses valued at N49000 to be considered for employment. The FMCG companies expected you to help in marketing their products as a sales agent. No wonder, some of these companies collected CVs just to later dump them on the floor after achieving their aims.As all these were ongoing (the job fair actually started around 2pm), there was no staff of ICS Limited on ground because they had all left the venue having accomplished their ‘goal’ for which the event was organised. Truth be told, the company was more concerned about reviving its dwindling corporate image as a major outsourcing firm to attract more patronage from top companies. This was what the first 5 hours of the programme was used to accomplish. The company wanted the public to view it as a firm that is striving towards reducing the scourge of unemployment in Nigeria and also helping companies to recruit quality employees. Whereas the ICS Talent Bank 1.0 portrayed the company as one taking undue advantage of the millions of unemployed graduates who are ready to give it all it takes and even risk their lives in securing jobs. For weeks before the fair, the company was frequently asked both online and in their offices to release the names of participating companies but tacitly ignored the requests even though they were promptly answering other enquiries. This clearly showed that all that happened was pre-planned and tailored towards using candidates as pawns in their publicity game.ICS Limited effectively connived with some companies to come and market their products under the guise of recruitment and hoodwinked several others into believing that they are capable of producing the most quality candidates for employment with their ‘rigorous’ recruitment process.Some may be putting forth the argument that after all the company did not collect money from candidates to be invited for the job fair. So why all these hullaballoo? Firstly, the company lied to the candidates, to the companies and also to the public especially at the press briefing held before the job fair. Secondly, ICS Limited ensured candidates travelled from across Nigeria to attend the charade in Lagos. Some came from cities like Kaduna, Owerri, Benin and other far places. They had to expend transportation and hotel costs in addition to risking their lives on the poor Nigerian roads.

Thirdly, the hopes and aspirations of many were dented as they couldn’t have imagined the gross betrayal that transpired. Many felt used and insignificant and would need some help in regaining their belief in the credibility of outsourcing companies. And the time expended on these? I am sure no candidate spent less than 4 days for the screening process excluding the attendance at the job fair. Lastly, ICS Limited has set a negative precedence for other firms to make use of unemployed graduates in booming their corporate images with the guise of providing employment without any consequences whatsoever. In conclusion, I am calling on all those in authority to look more into this scam to prevent future reoccurrence before another ICS Talent Bank 2.0 takes places. I implore all the news media that were represented at the press briefing that took place before job fair to do some investigation on what transpired at the fair and reach out to the necessary agencies for prompt action. After all what can a bloody unemployed graduate do and who even cares about what he/she thinks? Please prove me wrong.Thanks.

Social media is a great tool to spread valuable and inspiring information. While there’s a part of me that has been shaped around its use, I noticed few things that are inappropriate due to people using it. While the growth of social media continues to expand, I hope that Muslims start using social media properly. I’m not generalizing Muslims, but I’ve seen a lot who use social media inappropriately and this list is based on what I encountered.

Here are 15 things people should stop doing on social media.

1. Posting about your voluntary deeds such as fasting, and charity works

2.Bad mouthing the people who owe you money

3. Posting a picture of others’ without their permission

4. Complaining about your job or your life

5. Bad mouthing your leaders or bosses

6. Making your account private to post hijabless photos

7. Sharing how much money you make

8. Posting a status with an intention of indirectly hurting someone

9. Sharing fake/hoax articles or fabricated ahadith

10. Posting updates about your relationship with your spouse

11. Bragging about your achievements

12. Making other believe that you are living a perfect life

13. Exposing the sins or flaws of others or those of yourself

14 Getting into arguments

15. Using other people’s content as your own

There are a lot more to add on this list and this is just few of the many things we do on social media. I recommend that we all evaluate the way we use our accounts online and start implementing social media etiquette in accordance to Islam. We are who we are online.

If the opportunity seems "too good to be true," it is probably a scam.

Before you apply for a job or respond to an email with a copy of your resume, make sure the opportunity doesn't match these criteria.

1. No experience is necessaryThat's usually the sign of a scam. The description is only a sales pitch, or the job described is so simple that anyone could do it. No particular skills, experience, or education are needed to do the job. When you analyze it, the job doesn't make sense, and anyone/everyone would qualify. Often, poor grammar, punctuation, and spelling are used in the description/pitch.

2. Respond immediatelyThese requests are very urgent! You don't have time to wait -- respond NOW! They don't want you to take the time to think about what they are asking or to do any research before you respond.

3. The job is very easy to do.Although you must start as soon as possible, very little of your time and not much effort are needed to do the job. However, they will supposedly pay you very well for performing those few "duties." Again, "No experience necessary" may be part of the job description or pitch.

4. Job interviews are not required.They are already so impressed with you that they don't need to talk with you about the job. Or, the interview can be done very quickly via text message or email because...

5. Very limited contact information is available for them.Contact is only via e-mail to an address at gmail.com or some other e-mail service not associated with the name of their business. If they are supposedly hiring for a legitimate employer, the only contact information provided for your application is not associated with the alleged employer. No website, domain name, or other public record of the "employer" is available.

6. They have a very urgent need to hire you.They need you to start immediately -- today, preferably! You must begin working as soon as possible.

7. You must immediately provide very sensitive information.They require you to provide your Voters Card ID, bank account number, credit card number, and/or other personal financial information so they can pay you without delay. Tell them you need to have them send you a check, at least initially.8. When you Google them, you find nothing, only job postings, or warnings.A legitimate business does more than hire people. A legitimate business -- even one only a few weeks old -- has a website for customers and potential customers/clients. And that website is very likely visible to Google so it shows up in a Google search. An "invisible" website, or no website, is the symptom of a scam. If there are warnings, pay attention.

9. You need to "invest" in training, tools, or inventory to get started.They want you to pay them for tools or inventory to start work. Or you need information they are happy to sell you so you can qualify for the job or start working.If you really have no idea why someone would pick you to pay you handsomely to do a very simple job, get your guard up! As the old sergeant from Hill Street Blues said to the police officers as they headed out for their day's work, "Be careful out there!"Culled from job-hunt.org

Your gaze will likely scan or skim through the content first. Then you will decide whether to read through again or save for later. That’s just one of the pleasures your eyes afford you – reading.

Others include looking at your dear and loved ones; admiring the beauty of Allah’s creations around; communicating with your children, spouses and students; and engaging in many creative pursuits.

Your sight is a gateway to developing your mind and soul. But….

And it’s a big B.U.T, your eyes do not have unrestricted 24/7 rights to glancing at everything that comes into your view. Your gaze, along with all other actions you perform as a Muslim must be aligned with a meaningful purpose.

Imaam Ibn Kathir commented on Surah an-Nur [24:30], saying: This is a command from Allah (swt) to His believing slaves to lower their gaze and refrain from looking at that which is forbidden to them. So they should not look at anything except that which they are permitted to look at, and they should lower their gaze and refrain from looking at forbidden things. If it so happens that a person’s gaze accidentally falls upon something forbidden, he should quickly avert his gaze.[Tafseer Ibn Kathir, 3/282]

Lowering your gaze therefore is restraining it from looking at what is forbidden.

That is easier said than done.

Living in today’s world where you are faced with explicit content – at the workplace, in school, on the streets or even at family gatherings such as weddings or in forms such as billboards, TV and Internet. You name it, the tech world has made things even more fast and furious.

Going to the masjid and Islamic events are not fitnah free.

What can a striving brother or sister do in this case?

Below are 30 ideas for you to consider. They are simple but worthy acts to help you lower your gaze.

Remember every new habit starts with a simple effort, so you can pick just one idea or two to get started. Then stick to it and keep practicing from day to day. In sha Allah you will get there.

*****

1. Purify your Heart

The heart is the seat of intention (niyyah). When your heart is pure and sound, your intention will equally be pure and and firm – anchored by sincerity. This will affect the actions of the rest of your organs including your gaze.

A pure heart is filled with love and remembrance of Allah (swt) and His Rasul (saw). Such a heart will nurse a firm intention to gaze at only what is pleasing to Him, while guarding against what is displeasing to Him – whether at home, work or while out with friends.

2. Put the Reward in Mind

Visualise the great reward and compensation for your restraint. Allah (swt) rewards His slave for good deeds with something similar and if he gives up something for His sake, He will compensate him with something better than it.

Therefore, if he lowers his gaze and refrains from looking at things that Allah (swt) has prohibited, Allah (swt) will compensate him for restraining his gaze for the sake of Allah (swt) and put light in his heart.

3. Devote Yourself to Allah (swt)

Engage in a lot of involuntary (naafil) acts of worship, because this in addition to your regular obligatory acts of worship will serve a means of protecting your senses & intellect.

Obey Allah (swt) and keep doing good deeds.

4. Purify your Sight

Keep your sight pure to earn Allah’s Pleasure in this dunya and in anticipation of seeing Him in jannah.

Allah (swt) said: “… and My slave continues to draw close to Me with supererogatory (naafil) works so that I shall love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask (something) of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.” (Bukhari, Hadith Qudsi)

5. Supplications (Du’a)

Make supplications for patience, self control, discipline and true surrender as you struggle to remain consistent on keeping your gaze pure.

6. Prayers

Just as Luqman the wise advised his son, ‘be regular in your prayers’, so must you be regular in your prayers for it is a protection and shield for you.

”Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:45]

7. Marriage

Make every effort to get married to guard your chastity as prescribed by Prophet Muhammad (saw).

He said: “Whoever can afford it, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and in guarding one’s chastity…” (Bukhari & Muslim)

8. Fasting

In continuation of the above hadith, he (saw) said: ”… And whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

9. Keep Good Company

Your friends make or mark you. Choose good companions who will help you devote yourself to Allah (swt) and develop yourself spiritually, morally and mentally.

Drop the friends who encourage you to engage in immoral activities and disobedience of Allah (swt). Or keep a distance from them and do not ask them for advice.

10. Fight your Nafs

Set yourself a goal of winning against your nafs. Strive hard against your innermost desires.

”And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:69]

11. Turn away Physically

Avoid the second glance.

It was narrated that Jareer ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: “I asked the Messenger of Allah (saw) about a sudden glance, and he commanded me to avert my gaze.” (Muslim)

12. Recall Judgement Day

You will be accountable for your actions. The earth and your senses will testify to your activities. Your eyes, limbs and private parts will be witnesses on judgment day.

”That Day, it will report its news” [al-Zalzalah 99:4]

13. Gratitude

Be grateful for the gift and blessings of your eyes and other senses; Internet and other tech. tools, Islam and your intellect. If you are truly thankful, you will utilise your gifts in ways pleasing only to the Giver of the gifts.

14. Remember Allah (swt) is All-Seeing and All-Knowing

Recall Luqman’s advice to his son, ”Allah (swt) will bring everything to light”?

Guard your actions because no affair is hidden from Allah (swt), even if it’s equivalent to the weight of a mustard seed or scattered around. He is The Subtle and Informed and He will bring all matters to light – for reward or punishment in the hereafter.

15. Recall Death

Death is inevitable and it isn’t marked on any calendar for you to be warned about. Therefore seek a good end, for you will be raised on what you died upon.

Imagine the possible end result of an unrestrained gaze. It could lead to great immoral acts such as zina. Why lead yourself down that path with such heavy consequences when a simple lowering of gaze can bring you happiness and joy beyond measures?

16. Seek Forgiveness

Be humble, admit you are weak but remain repentant. Don’t feel helpless or make excuses for not repenting.

17. Set and Visualise an End Goal

Set your ambition for the highest station in Jannah then imagine the promised pleasures within. What will you give to achieve such a goal and gain all of the pleasures?

Do not aim for anything less, because you are worth it and you have the opportunity to go for it.

18. Consider it Worship

It may be a difficult personal battle especially where your work environment, school or family gatherings are mixed and with little or no Islamic ethos. Mark it as part of your worship acts.

Just as it is not easy to wake up for Fajr, attend congregational prayers or give charity but you do it anyway because it is worship and you crave for the rewards. Lower your gaze and crave for the sweet rewards.

19. Be Prepared

Have a copy of the Quran, kindle, ipad, ipod etc with you while traveling, waiting for an appointment, standing at a queue etc. That way, your sight and mind will be engaged productively while you develop yourself with every passing minute.

20. Safe Environment

Avoid or limit your visit to places where your gaze will be affected – because you will most likely be tempted to gaze around. Malls… check; beaches… check; streets… check.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Beware of sitting in the street.” They said, “We have no alternative; that is where we sit and talk.” He said, “If you insist on sitting there, then give the street its rights.” They said, “What are the rights of the street?” He said, “Lowering the gaze and refraining from causing offense…” (Bukhari and Muslim)

21. Remember your Recording and Guardian Angels

Even those stolen glances or clear focused looks will be recorded.

”And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, Noble and recording; They know whatever you do” [al-Infitaar 82:10-12]

22. Seek Beneficial Knowledge

Study from the authentic teachings and use what you learn to remind yourself to focus on your purpose on earth.

After reminding yourself and taking action, send reminders to your friends and loved ones to benefit, gain rewards and safeguard against negative consequences.

23. Be Yourself

Avoid popular culture. Your intention and actions may be pure and sound originally, but due to weak faith or low self esteem you may try to imitate *that* rich and popular musician, footballer or actor who looks at non-mahrams, mixes freely with them and gains attention of the world.

Mind you, its negative attention with huge consequences. Your model should be the Rasul (saw), so follow his example and you will prosper and command attention of the Angels and noble beings.

24. Have a Conversation with Your Nafs

Tell your nafs what you desire of success in this dunya and akhirah and how badly you want it. So you welcome no negative distractions from those success goals. Thank your nafs for its anticipated co-operation. Write a letter to your nafs if possible.

25. Organise Halaal Fun

Spend time with your righteous sisters or brothers in Islam. Or with your spouse and children. Play sports, games, share stories and take walks if you can.

Set some time for relaxing after productive work. Use your energy in permissible entertainment so you are not driven to utilise it via an impermissible outlet.

26. Seek Refuge against Shaytan

Shaytan is ruined. He is focused on doing the same to you and your pals so beware of his plots. Seek refuge with Allah (swt) against his plots and evil inclinations. Do not partner with him in disobeying Allah (swt).

”O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan – indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing…” (an-nur, 24: 21)

27. Dhikr

Keep your tongue moist and busy in the remembrance of Allah (swt).

For it is light on the tongue but heavy on the scales. And it is a means of of keeping your heart calm and at rest so you feel no undue attachment to the blings of the dunya including seemingly attractive non mahrams and other prohibited materials.

28. Consider it Jihad

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: “…the adultery of the eyes is looking (at [that] which is not allowed)…” (Bukhari and Muslim)

When you restrain that gaze, thank Allah (swt) for the strength he gave you then give yourself a thumbs up for engaging in jihad – by moving away from zina.

29. Modest Interactions with Members of the Opposite Sex

Do not feel you are above temptation. Interact modestly with non-mahrams in necessary situations and refrain from excessive and unnecessary mingling.

Be modest, decent and sincere in your actions – including your speech and what you gaze at.

30. Improve your Personality

Make it a goal to improve your character and relationship with others. Strive to strengthen and showcase your Islamic identity. This includes what you look at and what you do not look at.

Having a true Islamic personality will help you interact with kindness, humility and with a smile while calling to the truth and forbidding the wrong.

*****

For any of the above ideas you choose to practice with, you will be developing many aspects of your spirituality, personality and relationships. You will be improving yourself and making the Ummah a much better place in sha Allah.

Lower your gaze, it is worth it!

”But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge”

denigma2:Holy Quran 22:36------------------وَٱلْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَٰهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَٰٓئِرِ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ ۖ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَآفَّ ۖ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْقَانِعَ وَٱلْمُعْتَرَّ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرْنَٰهَا لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَAnd the Budn (cows, oxen, or camels driven to be offered as sacrifices by the pilgrims at the sanctuary of Makkah.) We have made for you as among the Symbols of Allah, therein you have much good. So mention the Name of Allah over them when they are drawn up in lines (for sacrifice). Then, when they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat thereof, and feed the beggar who does not ask (men), and the beggar who asks (men). Thus have We made them subject to you that you may be grateful. Holy Quran 22:37------------------لَن يَنَالَ ٱللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَآؤُهَا وَلَٰكِن يَنَالُهُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرَهَا لَكُمْ لِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَIt is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. Thus have We made them subject to you that you may magnify Allah for His Guidance to you. And give glad tidings (O Muhammad SAW) to the Muhsinun (doers of good).

the same you will turn around and tell me it has a son, or wait has a specially chosen people or chose a sun baked arab man... same being you are here implying is unknowable..

Anyway the issue here remains since you think the universe requires a creator since it is complex, this creator too must be very or in fact too complex to have been able to coreate the universe so don't you think must also require a creator?

Because of people that may find it difficult to believe in God and His Commands, He sent different persons at different times to different nations to relay who God is, what He expects from us and the consequences of adhering to or neglecting His commands. Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus, Muhammed and several other Prophets were sent.

And I didn't mention to you that He has a son. He is unlike what He created , thus God doesn't have a son. As I stated, he has chosen messengers not sons

You still contradict yourself. If we don't know everything (which we don't) and our knowledge is limited (which it is), then why is your own knowledge that claims god exist even valid? Dude, in this world we all rely on our knowledge. If we don't, we won't be on NL sharing our views.

As the original post states, the burden of proof is on the person defending the fact that something came from nothing. Thus you still asking if God exists is like going backwards by miles. Fine, you cant see the Creator but you can see His creations. I told you God created the whole Universe, you said the Universe came from nothing, which requires proof?Being a scientific person that I assume you to be, the next question I expected you to ask is what are the qualities that God possess that makes him different from the things you see which are functions of matter, time and space. Then we can move on

You guys don't always make sense in your arguments and it says sth about how you reason. I even wonder why you use concepts proven by scientists to claim the existence of god. Here you mention planets and galaxies, but you refuse to accept the Big Bang Theory. Before you, christains have always claimed that god lives in the sky, now that science has taken man beyond earth's stratosphere, you guys are now giving us the bullsh*t story that he is invisible and he's everywhere.And please don't give us the recurring crap that he is self-existent. If he can be self-existent, why can't the universe be self-existent?

When would atheists ever realise that the existence of God and Science are not parallel lines.? Science discovers some ( not all) of what God created. Is that difficult to decipher? The galaxies, planets, earth and all you mentioned where discovered by man through scientific methods? Yes. Who created them?The issue is not the existence of the Big Bang. The issue is who created the Big Entity that made the Bang?And to your question about the universe being self-existent because God is self-existent, note that your inability to admit the limitations of your knowledge about all things in existence is the major problem

The fact that we keep on discovering things about the Universe on a daily basis shoułd point out to you that there are much more that we are ignorant about.

johnydon22:The universe is complex right? yes good.. then going from your analogy the complexity of the universe requires a designer...

then again you forgot that this designer must be super complex in order to have designed something as complex as the universe..

So in order for something that complex as the designer to exist, it must have been designed by another designer who in turn also requires a greater designer and so it stretches into an infinite regress of designers..

It is one thing to realise that there has to be a grand designer for the complex universe, it is another thing to know the qualities this Grand Designer possess.If you can't grasp His creations in its entirety, how do you expect to grasp the Creator's location, size, origin etcYou know the limitation of the human eye interms of light intensity, grasp, visibility etcetera just as you know the limitations of other organs and those of other animals.If the fact that you can't feel the texture of Pluto as a planet but you feel you should be able to know the origin and location of the Creator of the Milky Way doesn't amuse you, nothing will

For the last half of the twentieth century, Antony Flew (1923-2010) was the world's most famous atheist. Long before Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris began taking swipes at religion, Flew was the preeminent spokesman for unbelief.

However in 2004, he shocked the world by announcing he had come to believe in God. While never embracing any Religion, Flew only believed in the deistic, Aristotelian conception of God—he became one of the most high-profile and surprising atheist converts. In 2007, he recounted his conversion in a book titled There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind. Some critics suggested Flew's mental capacity had declined and therefore we should question the credibility of his conversion. Others hailed Flew's book as a legitimate and landmark publication.

A couple months before the book's release, Flew sat down with Strange Notions contributor Dr. Benjamin Wiker for an interview about his book, his conversion, and the reasons that led him to God. Read below and enjoy!

Dr. Benjamin Wiker: You say in There is a God, that "it may well be that no one is as surprised as I am that my exploration of the Divine has after all these years turned from denial...to discovery." Everyone else was certainly very surprised as well, perhaps all the more so since on our end, it seemed so sudden. But in There is a God, we find that it was actually a very gradual process—a "two decade migration," as you call it. God was the conclusion of a rather long argument, then. But wasn't there a point in the "argument" where you found yourself suddenly surprised by the realization that "There is a God" after all? So that, in some sense, you really did "hear a Voice that says" in the evidence itself "'Can you hear me now?'"

Antony Flew: There were two factors in particular that were decisive. One was my growing empathy with the insight of Einstein and other noted scientists that there had to be an Intelligence behind the integrated complexity of the physical Universe. The second was my own insight that the integrated complexity of life itself—which is far more complex than the physical Universe—can only be explained in terms of an Intelligent Source. I believe that the origin of life and reproduction simply cannot be explained from a biological standpoint despite numerous efforts to do so. With every passing year, the more that was discovered about the richness and inherent intelligence of life, the less it seemed likely that a chemical soup could magically generate the genetic code. The difference between life and non-life, it became apparent to me, was ontological and not chemical. The best confirmation of this radical gulf is Richard Dawkins' comical effort to argue in The God Delusion that the origin of life can be attributed to a "lucky chance." If that's the best argument you have, then the game is over. No, I did not hear a Voice. It was the evidence itself that led me to this conclusion.

Wiker: You are famous for arguing for a presumption of atheism, i.e., as far as arguments for and against the existence of God, the burden of proof lies with the theist. Given that you believe that you only followed the evidence where it led, and it led to theism, it would seem that things have now gone the other way, so that the burden of proof lies with the atheist. He must prove that God doesn't exist. What are your thoughts on that?

Flew: I note in my book that some philosophers indeed have argued in the past that the burden of proof is on the atheist. I think the origins of the laws of nature and of life and the Universe point clearly to an intelligent Source. The burden of proof is on those who argue to the contrary.